I pruned and de-vined the rose at the church parsonage last week. The poor thing had been neglected for years, but still managed to bloom. I got the dead wood out and pulled out the bindweed that had made a canopy over the bush (and did a bit of bleeding in the process!). Yesterday after church I walked over to look at the shrub, and it has buds! Just a few, and they are tiny, but it definitely is going to bloom this month! Who knew human blood was such a good fertilizer!
Way to go Jane!!! I'm sure all the folks at the church will really appreciate your efforts when the roses are blooming and blooming and blooming!
Maybe the rose you pruned is a vampire rose Jane. To be serious though it certainly seems that the rose badly needed your attention. You must show us all photgraphs of it when it blooms.
heh heh heh.... well, whatever works, right? Congrats on your rose. ...noe, I know that I don't have to say it--but do take a couple of fotos when they are blooming, won't you?
Yes Eileen, I think that rose is a descendent of Vlad the Impaler! It certainly enjoyed having a human in its clutches. At least it didn't want a dose of bone meal, or I would have been in big trouble. I'll post a photo when it blooms. That is, if the high winds ever die down enough to get a "still" photo!
Coppice, I hadn't mentioned fertilizing and mulching because I haven't done it yet. When I was pruning the wind was blowing so hard I had to "catch" some of the canes! When the wind dies down (if ) I'll rake out the remaining debris and give the bush a couple of scoops of composted manure. I won't mulch for a while since I need to see if the bindweed comes back and I have to pull it out by the roots. The only mulch that would stop bindweed is about 6' of cement, and even that might not do it!
The rose obviously appreciated the chance to rejuvenate itself. I quite sure the church members will enjoy your efforts for years to come. Often plants in semi-public areas get ignored till a good samaritan happens by. Jerry
